Month: August 2020

Today I’ve been off to our daily early morning prayer meeting. I love the opportunity to be connected; connected to God and connected to a group of prayer warriors who covers our pastor and church with a blanket of prayer. For me it’s a new form of prayer walk. I walk around the sanctuary praying. It brings new meaning to bodily exercise profits little. Well, when coupled with prayer, it accomplishes a lot. Just saying! Then I went to a Serve Now project, coordinated by my so-in-law, Zach, clearing out the flower beds. It’s amazing how much and how fast weeds can grow literally smothering the beautiful plants. Probably another reason, in the spiritual realm, for a need for a stronger prayer life. Keep those weeds out! Daily!I was also glad to be a part of a missions conference online. The new Short-Term project, “A Day in the Life of the Short-Term Missions Director” was premiered and went very well. We also continue to receive videos from around the world that promote Global ConNEXTions. The registration is quickly approaching 700. I’m amazed at the creativity used in our adverting social media blitz. A friend, Darla McLean, passed away this morning. She, and her husband, had just retired from missionary service in West Africa. COVID-19 won the chapter. But in the end, the Lord is triumphant, and wins the battle. Of course, Darla, won the crown. I’m not trying to figure it all out. I won’t be offended in the way God does His business.My queen, Linda, did a podcast episode for me on Poitras Ponderings Podcast. She spoke about her call and “The Availability Factor.” I may write more about that another time. We are already planning future episodes featuring her. The rest of the day has been spent studying for various lessons and messages.I think I’ll read some tonight. Surprised! Probably not!

Tucked in the middle of two tragic turned triumphant situations we find another golden nugget. A man with a withered hand and another possessed with the devil (blind and dumb) serve as the backdrop for unveiling truth. Nestled smack between two miracles are short words of revelation: “And in his name shall the Gentiles trust” (Matthew 12:21).

This aptly echoes the Psalmist, “We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the Lord fulfil all thy petitions. Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Psalms 20:5-7).

“Trust” is a wonderful word. If I trust you I am attesting I am confident about your integrity, strength, and/or ability. Trust doesn’t come easily. When lost, it is difficult—nigh to impossible—to regain. Trust is made up of interaction (getting to truly know someone) and an established track record. It is destroyed daily in small ways. A little lie, failing to follow through on something promised, or a confidence broken. Failure to walk the talk and to do what one says both rank up there on the list of trust destroyers. Truth and trust are interrelated; always have been; always will.  

Stephen M. R. Covey in The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything explains violating character behavior is the quickest way to decrease trust. Demonstrating competence behavior is the quickest way to increase it. Trust is a function of both character (who you are) and competence (what you produce; strengths, capabilities, and skills).

Trust is notably the foundation of all positive relationships: self, with others, and with God. It is one of the strongest bonds possible. The irony is it is also one of the most fragile. It can be easily broken like a glass vase crashing to the floor in a thousand pieces; impossible to glue back together. Someone has rightly said, “trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair.” Help us, Lord—to trust and to be trustworthy. After all, the old word “faithful” is the same as our modern word “trustworthy.”